Shogun - James Clavell

Let me warn you right now, I have nothing bad to say about this book.

My opinion about James Clavell's Shogun has always been that it will go down as a classic piece of literature.  That it should be spoken about in the same breath as The Count of Monte Cristo, Moby Dick and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.  It's that grand.  It's exactly that compelling.  And for a fat novel running at around 1,200 pages, it's exhilarating in it's pacing and sense of adventure.

Set in feudal Japan, Clavell's masterpiece tells the story of English seaman John Blackthorne, Pilot-Major of the Dutch trader-warship Erasmus.  Far from home in uncharted waters, the Erasmus  is the last surviving ship in its fleet when it is driven by a furious storm onto the shores of Japan.  At a distinct cultural disadvantage, Blackthorne is soon caught up in the political machinations of the society and the rise of the daimyo Toronaga to the Japanese Shogunate.

Displaying a deft touch, Clavell's storytelling is flawless.  With an incredibly well realised cast of characters, Shogun weaves a compelling tale of ambition, of discovery, of love and adventure.  Charting Blackthorne's rise from foreigner to trusted advisor and political trading chip, the narrative arc is as impressive as they come, told as it is against a backdrop of religious tension, political ambition and the threat of civil war.

Shogun is one of the more ambitious works of fiction you'll find.  The novel misses nothing, touching on religious tensions, the ramifications for trade and culture of East meets West, and the dense social and political hierarchy of feudal Japan. None of it is over-explained, but it's existence is felt, creating a rich and compelling tapestry for the story, bringing an authenticity that is often missing from historical fictions.  But however high it reaches, Shogun never once falls short.

Above all, Clavell's tale is one that I consider a seminal piece of work, though in an interesting way.  While not necessarily the influence on political and historical fiction that it might have been, Shogun is however a major influence in the world of speculative fiction, particularly epic fantasy.

My score (predictably) - 10/10